Can-puncturing-spout device



March 12, 1957 s. ROBERTSON CAN-PUNCTURING-SPOUT DEVICE Filed Jan. 25, 1954 wdE - INVENTOR. SNELL ROBERTSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent" CAN-PUNCTURING-SPOUT DEVICE Snell Robertson, Los Angeles, Calif., assiguor to Swingspout Measure Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 25, 1954, Serial No. 406,024

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-89) This invention relates to can-puncturing-spout devices of the type used to dispense liquids such as oil and antifreeze liquids at service stations for automobiles. More particularly, the invention is concerned with devices of the. type having latching means adapted to resiliently engage a rim of a can for maintaining the pouring spout in sealing registry with the can, comprising an improved trigger release means which is more readily released as the spout is gripped for removal of the device from the container.

Sealed cans containing oil or alcohol are advantageously punctured by using combination opening and pouring attachments which increase the ease with which liquids in tholcans can be poured directly into radiators or oil receptacle of a vehicle. This invention is an improvement over the can puncturing spout device described in U. S. Patent No. 2,421,589 which is advantageously suitable for pouring such liquids as alcohol and the like into automobile radiators. Unlike lubricating oils, alcohol has such low viscosity that a resilient sealing means such as sponge rubber is necessary to seal the area surrounding the puncture.

The present invention includes a manually grippable.

pouring spout and a guide continuous with the spout for cooperating with the head or rim of the can. The spout and guide are in substantial alignment, the spout being in the form of a handle for manipulating the device and projects up from the top of the can when the device is applied to the can. A cutter on the body of the device lies. substantially parallel with the guide and lower extremity of the spout, and is adapted to cut an opening in the top of the can from which the contents may be poured through the spout. A resilient, compressible sealing member is provided on the body of the device surrounding the base of the spout and is adapted to be compressed against the top of the can to seal the area around the.

cutter when the latter is forced to its final position. A latch is arranged at the inner side of the guide and projects upwardly between the guide and thecutter. end of the latch is resiliently connected with the body of the device for movement relative thereto. A free end of the latch is adapted to cooperate with the underside of the bead of the can when the cutter approaches its final position so that the latch holds the device in position when the sealing member is compressed. A distinctive feature of the invention is the provision of novel means for releasingthe latch from the underside of the bead while manually gripping the spout to remove the same from the can and to relieve compression on the resilient sealing member. The latch-releasing means are adapted to be pulled generally in the direction of the pouring spout, and thereby facilitate use of the device by enabling substantially simultaneous gripping and uni-directional pulling of the latch-releasing means and the pouring spout during removal of the device from the can.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a can with one form of the improved puncturingspout device of the invention One latched thereto, and showing the manner of manually gripping the device;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 3 of one embodiment of the invention as attached to a can as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of the invention;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on lines 5--5 and 6-6 in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, the device of the invention invention includes generally a manually grippable pouring spout 10, a guide 11 for the spout adapted to engage the side wall A of a can B, a cutter 12 for puncturing the topor end C of the can and for transmitting the liquid, usually alcohol, in the can to the spout, and manually operable latching means 13 for maintaining the device in secured engagement with a bead D of the can.

The spout 10 is shaped in the form of a handle curving upwardly and outwardly from the bead D of the can. An outer or convex side of the spout has a plurality of longitudinally spaced grooves 14 formed therein, and the inner or concave side of the spout has a plurality of spaced ribs 15 which provide a secure grip for the spout.

The guide 11 is a continuation of the concave side of the spout and engages the side wall A during puncturing of the can and during pouring, conforming generally to the shape of the outer face of the side wall A of the can.

The cutter 12 is adapted to be forced through the top wall C of the can to puncture a drain therein. Any cutter shape may be used, although a U-shaped cutter, like that illustrated and shown in the aforementioned patent is preferred. Accordingly, the cutter 12 opposes and is spaced from the can-engaging inner face of the guide 11. The side walls 17 of the cutter are vertical and generally parallel and are provided at their upper ends with openings 18 to permit ready drainage of the liquid in the can through the cutter into the spout. The entering point portion 19 of the cutter converges to a sharp point for piercing the can wall C, and preferably slopes downwardly and inwardly so that it lances through the Wall C at a point removed from the bead D. The upper extremity of the cutter 12 has a shank 20 communicating with the inner surface of the concave side of the spout and attached thereto by a suitable screw 21 and lock nut 22. The upper portion of the guide 111 and the channel-shaped member 23 form a groove surrounding the spout 10, in which a soft resilient sealing washer 24 is secured. The member 23 is secured to the convex spout section by a lip 30 soldered thereto. A flange 29 straddles the spout, on top of the upper lateral edges of guide 11, and is suitably attached thereto. Flange 29 also has a lip 31 extending around its edges and projecting down-- wardly to retain the washer 24. The washer may be formed of sponge rubber and is shaped to seat on and to bear upwardly against flange 29, and to fit closely within flange lip 31.

The latching means 13 are a distinctive feature of the invention and act to automatically lock or latch the device in position on the bead D of the can after the top C has been punctured and washer 24 has been tightly compressed against the can. This assures that the cutting means and pouring spout are maintained in sealing registry with the can end so that there will not,

Patented Mar. 12,

assess? with the can. Latch 34 is preferably bowed in cross section to increase its strength and to allow complementarily fit within groove 355. Groove 35 is shaped to completely receive the latch 34 when pressed outwardly through engagement with the can wall A. A portion of the latch 34 is raised outwardly to provide a fulcrum 36 which bears against the inner surface of groove 35 and is spaced a. short distance above the lower end of the latch.

The lower end of the latch has a lateral stem 37 clearing an opening 38 in the guide. A coiled spring 39 is arranged around the stem '37 and held under compression between guide 11 and a washer 40 retained on the stem by a cotter key 41 passing through an opening in the free end of the stem. The spring 39,;acting against the washer 4 and the outer surface of guide 11, urges the upper free end 42 of the latch inwardly toward the can into registry with the under side of bead D.

The upper free end of latch 34 also has a lateral extension 44 projecting outward through an opening 45 in the guide 11.. A trigger 46 is pivotally mounted on the extension 44, which has a pair of transverse projections 47 journaling side face portions 48 of the trigger through holes 49 provided therein. The trigger 46 has a curved finger-engaging end 59 extending upwardly therefrom to facilitate pulling of the trigger and displacement of a cam surface 51 against the guide 11. Manipulation of the trigger 46 displaces the extension 44 outwardly with respect to the guide 11 to disengage the upper free end of latch 34 from head D against the action of spring 39.

To puncture the can, an attendant holds the device as shown in Fig. 1 with the lower portion of the guide 11 against the bead D at the top of the can and brings the point portion 119 of the cutter against the top wall C. The device is pressed downwardly with substantial force driving the cutter 12 through the top wall of the can. Asthe cutter moves through the top wall C, the guide 11 travels downwardly along the side wall A. The free end 42 of the latch will be forced into groove 55 by reason of the inner surface of latch 34 riding over the bead D. As the device approaches the final position, washer 24 will be compressed into sealing registry with the bead D and the top C of the can surrounding the opening. In the final position, the upper free end 42 of the latch will ride over head D and be snapped inwardly by spring 39 to underlie the head. The device is thereby effectively latched to the can C and washer 24 is compressed into a fluid-tight seal with the can.

After the contents of the can have been poured out through the spout iii, the attendant simply grips the trigger 46 and the spout, as shown in Fig. 1, and pulls upwardly. A simultaneous squeeze on the trigger while pulling unlatches free end 4.2 of the latch from head D and the device is readily withdrawn from the can.

Figs. 4, and 6 illustrate another embodiment of the inventionin which the latching means ibresembles in many respects latching means 13 and includes a latch 61 having a raised fulcruming portion 62 and movable with respect to groove under the influence of spring 39 which loads the lower end of the latch 61 as in the first embodiment. The upper end of latch 61. has a perforate extension 63 projecting laterally outward through guide opening 45. A slidably actuated trigger 64 passes through and registers within the confines of perforate extension 63 and has a pair of parallel spaced side portions 65 interconnected by a cam plate 6 6 adapted to ride over the inner ed e of the outer extremity of per forate extension 63. A yoke 67, soldered or otherwise suitably attached to the outer surface of guide 11, guides the trigger sides 65, and trigger 64 is pulled upwardly by a finger-engaging end 68 integral with the upper extremity of the trigger. Each of the trigger sides includes a vertical slot 69 through which passes a pin 70 fixedly mounted in the sides of yoke 61 A spring 71 is suspended between the pin 70 and another pin 72 fixedly mounted in trigger sides 65. g

A pull on trigger segment 68 in the direction of spout it), as the latter is grasped, causes cam plate 66, lying at an angle oblique to the vertical disposition of the latch 61, to displace trigger extension 63 outwardly. Spring 71 resists upward movement of trigger 64, and the latter is guided on its sides 65 by movement of pin 70 in slots 69 between the sides of yoke 67. When trigger 64 is released by the index finger, spring 71 acting on trigger sides 65 through pin 72 moves the trigger downwardly,

thereby freeing latch extension 63 for movement inwardly toward the underside of the can head D under the infiuence of spring 39 and the control of cam plate 66. p In removing the device of Figs. 4 to 6 from a can, the trigger 64 is pulled upwardly as the spout is gripped and the device is unlatched from the can.

It will be noted that in both embodiments of the invention, the latching means have been incorporated onthe guide 11 in such manner that uni-directional gripping, both of the trigger mechanisms and the spout 10 by the fingers, performs the unlatching function. This improvement increases the ease with which service station attendants are able to eiiect removal of the can puncturing attachment.

- I claim:

A can-puncturing-spout device for opening cans having a side wall and a top joined by a bead comprising a metal body having a pouring spout and a guide continuous with the spout for engagement with the wall of a can, the spout and guide being in substantial alignment and the spout being in the form of a handle for manipulating the device and projecting up from the top of the can when the device is applied to the can, a cutter on the device substantially parallel with the guide and the spout for puncturing an opening in the top of the can from which the contents may be poured through the spout, a resilient compressible sealing member on the device surrounding the base of the spout for compression against the top of the can to'seal the area around the cutter when the latter isforced into the can to its final position, a latch arranged at the inner side of the guide projecting upwardlybetween the guide and the cutter, means rcsiliently connecting one end of the latch with the guide for movementrelative thereto, the latch having a'beadengaging end adapted to underlie the bead of the can when the cutter reaches its final position with the latch holding the device in the position where the sealing memher is compressed, a trigger in movable connection with theguide, means on the trigger connecting the trigger i to-the latch, said trigger having a finger-engaging portion References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,4a1,ss9 'Wiswell June 3, 1947 

